LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 424, 5 February 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

> Tho, postal authorities advise that the Wimmera. which left-Sydney on Wednesday foiv Auckland, has on board an Australian mail, which is duo here by tho express train from 'New Plymouth, on Monday evening next. . ' ■- ; - The-mails which left Sydjiey on December 22 by the Aojangi.for the-= United Kingdom, via ■Vancouver, reached London on the morning of February 2.. . A donation of £1 to the "Zoo" is acknowledged by the municipal ■ authorities. • The donor was Mrs. Hall, of,this city.; . Tho name of the Borough of Eastbrook is changed by Governor's proclamation; to Borough of Wanganui East.' Tho change takes formal effect oiv April 1. _: .' ■. A reward of £100 is; to be offered by tho police authorities for information leading tb the conviction of the murderer, of the seaman, J. H. M'Cormack, whoso ,body was found 'in an alley-ivay off Courteriay (Place, on December 27. - ■' >. Space was at a premium at the S.M. Court-' yesterday. The Police' Court was occupiedi by the usual police and civil cases, and the : Upper Court was occupied 'by the Compensation Court. When tho civil list in tho Loiver Courfc Lad been called over and the defonded cases began, the second magistrate 1 had to hold his Court in the solicitors- room. ; _ Charles Hoddor, who was fined 40s!. for failing to attend as a common juror at the.Supreme Court on Wednesday, asked that the line bo remitted yesterday. He informed Mr. Justice . Cooper, that he had mistaken' tho date on tho summons. : His Honour said that; no doubt applicant would bo moro careful in the futuro.; He could not see' his way to remit the whole: of tho fine, but would reduce' it to 20s. -. • °f the Miramar Borough Council ■was hold last, evening, and; there were pre-, sont: the;Mayor,.(Mr. C. J. Crawford), and Councillors Bell, M'Leod, Brodie, Cooper, and Witt.; Matters connected with the construor tion of discussed 'in* committee. Accounts amounting to £3G7 12s. 9d. wore ■passed for payment, i Tho bank-books'showed the ■. following balances : Fund', ■ Account, cr., £82 15s. 3d.'; Improvements Loan. Account, dr., £83G -is. 9d: . A: fisherman who appeared 'at : the S.M. Court yesterday ,on a judgment summons, informed the. Court that fish, were hard to get during tho hot. weather, and-.wqre still haraor fi: -^ e - • result. ; \v<i3' that priccs were l)jgh..: Defendant said' he could barely pay trm rent on his present takiugs, and if ho could get work at anything else lie .would, give up the fishing business.- iHe could riot get other .'employment, however, and had to :keep his-.wife and family, who frequently had to bo ; satisfied with bread and butter and a cup of tea.

A veteran who was waiting in tho S.M. Court yesterday morning to -give evidence in: a , civil case, succumbed to the heavy, heated air of tho Courtroom, .and gradually dropped off mto slumber. After' a few moments he commenced .to snore aonorously/and the Court in the midst of business, whilst his 'Worship, looked; up from, his boolc for a moment' and ( murmured, "Gob bad; dreams,. ..has he?" A littio later,tho veteran began to talk in his sleep, ahc} the bailiff had'to advalleo and quieten him. "You are-talking in your, sleep. . man-rwake up," shouted the r l i m: . e oW'.BOT's ear,,and tile slteper l-übbed his eyes, , .smiled vacantly on the crowded -.Court, and slumbered again. l ' He' was still sleeping two hours later. '. The; assisted immigrants aboard, the Turakina. which: left London' on December 29, number 70. souls. . These, include. 14 children' and 21 persons who have been nominated, ty their'• •relatives in: New Zealand and ; have work/or, homes to go to'. According to in-.-formation received ironi tho High Commissioner's office, by Mr.-Ai A., S. : . Danby, ,Immigration, Officer, there are among-the assisted immigrants eleven farmers, ten farm labourers, fourteen domestic, servants, and three women with, families .who are coming out to join their husbands. One of the assisted immigrants brings .£4OO of capital, and another £300, while;-several havo £100 each, : and others havo 'different sums down ' to. £25. Besides those 1 with "assisted passages,- tho Turakina brings 227 second and third'rolass passengers, and is due' about February-13. Sc-atoun Park is to be used in the coming football season for raatchcs of the Welling: ton. Football. Association. .. Application for the ground was made to the: lViiramar Borough. Council last night, and in .the lettfer it .was mentioned that when, a deputation made .the ; request tKo council intimated that . Jho-'.-Kugby 1 linion had a prior claim because they had' carried out sundry improvements. Hojvever,- th<s • association made application again,, and stated that' the Rugby. "Onion had made, .little use of the ground when it had " been let. to them: The Mayor (Mr. C. J Crawford) remarked 1 that if good matches were played on the Park; it would help the car revenue considerably; the couhc.l agreed to. allow the association the use "or. the park for a season/at a rental of\£s. ; '

Propriety demands-.the bathing-dress, and reason demands that there must be some place to get in or out of. such attire..-,.-At least, the members of tho City Counoil aro that some attention should be givon to the matter in cases where' city lands border upon -bathing : beaches. A capital' bathing-ing-shed has been crected at' Evans Bay, a little to. the north of the recreation ground and the second of two at Island "Bay will be completed this week, ' The sheds, which are moely-designed; 10ft. by 15ft. structures, are erected high abovo the sand, on concrete foundations, well above the high-water mark and are .stoutly built—of Oregon pine. -- Of the two at .Island-Bay, on© is-for ladies and one-for, gentlemen,,' and they are erecteS some thwe.. or. four, hundred yards apart which might be interpreted as a check upon but not a preventive, of mixed bathing ' S o popular nor ri Boncji, Coogee, and Minly (Sydney) the Esplanade (Napier), and Sumner (at Christclmrch). . : Bachelor' whares. at Seatoun are now up for judgnient.# The unsightliness of some of them gave rise to a discussion a t last night's meeting of the Miramar Bbrough. Council. Councillor Cooper Sfljd.fcbat Jialf-a-cipzeu coutamed two rooms rbuly, and' another was nothing but a tin shed. He asked if thocouncil could not interfere and make a. regulation' that -air such dwellings must bo pasted', bv tho architect. . The Mayor (Mr. C. J Crawford) replied that this was a difficult ques-tioil,-r and tho council could only deal -with it in the manner suggested V>y introducing a new by-law. _ Mr. v ,Crawford added that several people had. mentioned tho matter-.to him, and ho wished the: council to-realise that the increase in residents would-bo.sloiv if' building conditions, wfrre made too stringent.. A point to bo remembered, lie'continued, was, that these whares were frequently, added to, and became respectable six and eight-roomed houses. On Miramar Flat V man had : lived in.a small, hut .for a' long' time, but recently, he . had been able to nut up a, good dwelling, and the old residence had been turned into a wishhouso. -Tharo are more ways tha none of. blemiin-v ' ea i but there s only one honest and right wa/ and that is to blond fof quality. Many tons are ble.nded for vahm~t.l la t is, teas of oerta n prices are lurtp^l-together in order to ake certain:of profit.. -Crescent Blend Tea'is. blended for quality, irrespective of the prices of teas required jo ,make the blend/ It is a sciontine; combination of 'the strong robust'teas of. Uarjeeling and the fino dolleate teas of Ceyloa, per; lb, from aIl .storea,-A(ivc» .

. A now scale of fees to bo taken by regisi trars under tho Land Transfer ;-Act is gazetted;' //'.":. '. - The Courthouse, Lower/Huttj : is gazetted as a place wherein a Magistrate's-,Court.shall' be*held, : in lieu of the Courthouse previously appointed.. '■ '/ ■ ; . • V / The'j.Government has prohibited ' the importation into Now Zealand of any fluid preparation of opium containing a greater quantity 7 of extractive maUer ' thaii tincture of. opium prepared according to the Pharmacopoeia of tho United States of America. A rumour, was brought to tho police yesterday that Archibald John.M'Ncil, the prisoner who . escaped fronv the Terrace ; Gaol, had been, seen near' PaeUakariki in tho mornln? - Defective Cassells, who was taking a prisoner to Otaki, set out in. pursuit and located the man on the bank of/a stream. where he and three mates were, shaving al fresco. The man .was; known' t6.jthe detective, who was immediately satisfied that he was not M'Neil. The Saturday half-holiday petition .was relorred to at last night's meeting of . the Trades-, and. .Labour Council. - The secretary of the committee (Mr.:BlochV reported that by. the. end of this week: or, the beginning. of next there would be enough signatures tj enable the petition to be lodged. About 200 names which; were not. .tin tlie 'roll" would llave to bo. struck out. The petition had not to be sent in until March 20, so that there would, be plenty/of; time to, get. more-.th'an the, necessary signatures. /;. ; Nelson Illingworth .has completed another- of his. Maori studies to the order of the ' Government. • : The ■ bust' represents '■ a Maori; chief of the 'ancieut/v,order; '.'.'fully tattooed after an authentic pattern,- with head thrown back 1 in a defiant attitude,';, arid dogskin mat' across . the /.shoulders; , Mr. .'lllingworth .has - brought/ his, imaginationwellto ■ portrayal of a-vanished: type, and the accumulated knowledge of his '- preyiqug 'Maori, studies has' contributed to the work s• success. A graceful act on tho. part of the world's champion .sculler, R.' Arnst, is reported by a' member of .the ; Sttr, Boating ,Club.'-. If?: appears; that one of the Stair men. who intends to i compete in the single: . sculls at'the, regatta on Saturday broko his boat, and it wa3 decided to, ; telegraph to . A'rnst asking-if -he' wpiild object, to his or Fogwell's boat, both of which are stored in Wellington, being used. A reply. was received promptly, intimating in - cordial terms that; either- boat could be.used. .Fogwell's boat will consequently bo requisitioned. :_. Boxing enthusiasia who' have been .looking, forward: to: a visit from Tommv Bums are doomed to . disappointment. It . was announced at the -meetins of the Wellington Boxing, Asscoiation last night that Burns's, projected visit has been abandoned.'' -The coutive of,the association went carefully into' the:-.whole question,'-,and',-wore/.reluctantly, compelled to conclude that as /suitable : dafes could not be arranged, and as other :- ob-'; :.Btacles stood, in the way,'the scheme would ;haye' to. be'abandoned. Mr. W. F. Corbett-j.-tho association's representative in- Sydney," will bo advised to tho above effect to-day.;

A notice of motion that the General Labourers' Union . withdraw from the Trades and Labour Council was tho cause of a little commotion, at the. meeting ■;«£. the -council last , evening. A■ delegato-from tho union rose to.! ■protest against the, manner, in which the matter, had,"been, dealt : with., s He said tHat the motion had liot'; been properly seconded or .-carried, and should ' not) be. treated • as authoritative. : This , statement brought., the secretary, of ; the union (Mr. M. J. Pardon) .to -his"-feet.-in indignant -reply. . .Ultimately ;it, was explained that the.letter reporting the' jnotaie of. motion; had asked;. that it bo' accepted; as a notice ;Jjf withdrawal,' but tho council had refused to do this. ....; ■ . A sign of tho times in. Wellington . is tho number of houses observed to bo in need' of tenants. .So.far.the unoccupied dwellings aro to bs found: main);- in those' 'suburban ■ districtswhere:vthe 1 builder has been most active. .-Nevertheless tho, sign.,is ominous,'■'Seoingv I that' up till"a year aio bouse, agents ■ copld.not supply the' demand; for,-houses :Qf; iiny .place. A case, lias, ;come I'underi notice ii ' a . tram-; ;sorved suburb . where Va : V ycar.. : ago : an-oVner was receiving 305. : W ™>ek.for> housoWnow .which seems to\ incficate possibility » that; lower" rents may render ,the• • Giby. <Council's, •... proposed • s homes unnecessary.., There; are- plenty.-. ; o f' such, houses to-lefc iiQ .Wellington at present, ■ Under tho Arbitration Amendment Act, all employers who are parties to 1 - ah award or industrial agreement are bound to keep a time and wages book, ;'and : tho Labour Debv way of explanation 'of, the' requirements,; has lately, issued to all such employers throughout the Wellington Industrial i'lstnot. specimen pages of such a book. Somo of tho employers have misunderstood- the obiectof these forms, and have sent them backto" the. Department filled in .with- all - the iniormatioii indicated.in the headings. This is v Employers; should.understand I that tho forms wore merely sent to them to serve as . a guide to tho kind of book 'they , have J to. Keep, lhese-books .are to bd:"open to' inspection the inspectors; of the Labour Department,. and nobody , else; has ! , a right to examine them.. The Department does not. desiie. employers to provide, a -book exactly: in .accordance with the specimen page. • The • purpose- of the Act will be served ,if the book Kept by tho employer shows tho amount of wages paid and overtime \v6rkeil in each week. . .. Many employers already: keep suchhooks Mv-theirj.'tiwn l interest, and .the. Act merely provides that rall who' are'parties it6-| an ;aivard or lndustrialkgreement shall dol'so.

Tb , c '®.. are , halcyn days! A week or two e lhugton folic were asking one'another with monotonous ''frequency" 'the whereabouts of: summer,. and - were cheering one anotherup .with. the', promise that thero .was liot to be any this year. This..week's, weather, .has such.-calculations :by being extraordinarily brilliant—clear sky, the ■ gentlest breezes, and a thermometer dodging about the. mid-seventies .(Fah.).,' . Yesterday was. a' proper . day, any where : ;biit, in mid-city,= where' wen.. visiting Australians 'complained of the neat,.which:is.strange of them. At Island Bay the. aspect-was particularly''soothing "to the nerves. Cook- Strait, ' as bluo as the Mediterranean from. the; Riviera, - stretched away placidly to the dim grey shadow of the of,. Marlborough—an azure plain. Close at hand the Italian fisher monded his nets and thought of enormous draughts of cool Chialiti with'a sigh,: and the tiny 'fives, : playing' under ithe :6yes of languorous mothers, shrieked affrighted as the •babvf waves chased them;; laughingly up the golden sands. While, the weather siride. tiifi dawn of ; the Now Year has. been called to order; for overlapping other seasons, there: is no.Cjuestioiiingthegeimiueness .of this'week's touch of. summer. : .. ■ ;.-i.

"Tho surrender/ by. Sir Joseph Ward to the demands of the- miners : of New Zealand that policies should. bo issued under: thi> Workmen's Compensation Act by the: State Insurance Department -to cover miners' phthisis without .a preliminary medical' examination " (says the. Melbourne. " Argus"' of .January 27) " may, in' a negative do pood. . At 'first the .Government refused to allow such, unknown risk's to be taken, be-/ cause to.di so meant, that .tho Stato would bo giving-' a blank cheque to cover'all cases of. miners' phthisis at .the present, time, 1 .For' Arriving: at that decision';.tho,'Ministry was loudly ■. applauded outsido direct labour circles,. , -.-'Journals ..which have 'consistently, followed, the Prime Minister, and-'liis coileapucs .in. tlipirSdcialistio.i. propaganda; deI scribed'.such' a Course,'as : correct. ""To hdvG yielded to tho miners' wishes, t'ne.v said [ would havo been to strike a serious blow "at 'every: .phase, of ' State. eritecpriso.' :: Sir Joseph Ward's volte: face.' completely reverse's the position. Pressure from an organisation" possessing., political. strength involvcd tho signing of 'the. blank eheoue' A dcpartment of State enterprise has been subordinated to the. exigencies of the movement, because nf, til© clamrturof one section of: tho community. It is the taxpayer -.generally who will have to meet- the bill,: for tho liability under tho indemnity to bo given to the Stato Insurance Department' to secure it against.loss, can only be met out of the coil- ; The gain is that tho acting of, the- Ministry has ■ demonstrated to policyholders in the State Insurance Depart-; ment aud to tavpaymgencrally that when political, oxigcncies - demand ,'it: a; deparfcWi fromvsound t business, principles must tako placc. An mclcranity. is 'noty ; - promised. May w>t tho occasion arise when tuat concession will uot be.fortkominaP" 4

The next annual meeting of-the New: Zealand Institute will be held in , Wellington; oil Thursday, /January: 27, 1910. ; ,-f- ■ k A builder's workshop in Mortimer Terrace' was!'destroyed ; by (ire at: 10.15Mast'night, also; a boiler which wis ■ in/ the; workshop.' The' building was owned by Mr. p. Mac Nee.'.". V It: is understood that the decision of tho Court of Inguiry into the Hutt local option poll has been brought under the notice of the Minister for Justice,, and'it is stated that the whole of the evidence has been forwarded: to him. : : •-.-/;.«■■■ /•':■//;■/: v The : annual picnic of the Terrace School children was: held at Day's Bay . yesterday,: in perfect .weather.,; A most; enjoyable "day. : ivas. spent, and the various sports organised by the: committeo and teaching staff were successfully: carried -out.- : /The weekly meeting'of the Trades and La-: bour Council was held last night, Mr. .6. H. ■ Lightfoot presiding over an attendance, of about thirty delegates. greater, part, of: the evening was taken: up by a discussion regarding the acceptance by labour 'leaders of Government appointments. : A correspondent -writes:—Tho ; January number of the Postal Guide, is not. yet. out, : | and this'causes the greatest inconvenience tie all those who;- want reliable- information :on postal matters.., The. last /number published ,(for ; . July) only, contains .dates of - mails- up. to . Deceraber 31. After this is a blank- until the ■ January number is issued. Why call it f' 'January'.': if published in March? : ;As well call it "December." • The Trades: and Labour Council is not sat. '. isfied with its organisation - committee; : and at. last .night's- meeting, .when it's -Veport "No quorum" .was presented, a motion was' put and carried .that tho committee be disbanded and ■ another, set. up. ■ The chairman,- however, intimated afterwards that notice of'motion would :be necessary before /the-./committee could, bo.-jdisbanded, .so the matter was' put: off for another week. .V - /•' Tho./first quarter ' of the new year's worl; ! at / the/Wellington'., Technical .School commenced yesterday, with oveiy indication.of. a severer strain ■ on the/accommodation than ■ \vii experienced. I last year.'' . The" first'.qiiafter ! of; 1903 opened' with an attendance of about 1200 students, of whom about 600 were freeplace pupils, ..and -with the present. enrolments, last year's numbers . will be exceeded, i, and: additional accommodation- .will . require to bo obtained elsewhere. -' : .-S" : - A question was asked by Comrade Dowdall at last: night's meeting of the Trades and Labour Council; as.to what: status Mr.: Westbroqko' had on: the' .council.'.-.'/ The - chairman replied'that tho gentleman in : questioniwas there as a delegate from tho Coachworkers'. Union.. This did not. satisfy' Mr. Dowdall, and he rose/'again ; to : aslt if delegates' who, accepted Government:: positions .had still the right to. take part'in the'/deliberations':, of Labour.. "Certainly,'' answered another dele-gate.-,"I am. in: the *Government- and I've sat here for. 15years."/Comrade; Dowdall:. r from a';crow!". ;■ j ■ have been sent by Mr. T. Wilford, "M.P., to the "Jown Clerk of the City of Wek . lington, and those bf/.the boroughs of Loivei Hutt-, Petono, and Onslow, anil. the clerk tc .the Hutt County Council, stating that in his opinion it would 7 be wise, in view of tho pro-; yisions .of; the. Hutt Railway and Road Improvement Bill; i.if their/: respectii;© engineers/ were 'instructed closely, to follow the formation and construction of tho new Hutt road;; ■It will. be. nMossary',.' he further-points outj /for/a new* apportionment based :on the contributions •of each . of- the bodies, to bo made. Close attention; the details of the work aV tho present stage.is, he_considers, very n<y. ;cessary./:v f /'-■/.■' /'i.'/:;- '/^/C.^'-,/'

i -Thf .'following'.'.account'' of a : funaralhoas' appears, in yesterday's, issue of.tlie Hutt and Petono'"Chronicle" :—on : Tuesday afternoon, at, 2,45; Messrs. Anstis and Simpson had waiting outside'.-':' their •• stables, i Lower. Hutt;; .a hearse', .two cabs, tvoigigs, and a wagon--. ;ette,."'.which' were..-orderea.'T>j- a' 'Wellington firm to take tlio hotly of one S- —-, Bay Street, 'Petono, '.to the' cemetery. After waiting soma considerable time for the undertaker, a mes. sengerjwas sent inquire why the conveyances liad'not been sont for.. "Word ■ was sent hack-.to;the;effect '«ii^Mi'.^: ! sorry that ho could., not "avail himself >. Of the ex- "• cursi6n <toiTaita.. so , kin,dly : arranged . on-: hi**" 'behalf!'" 'Whereat'; the 'horses- were unliar- : nessed afid- sent to the .stables, while five' sadv faced pa;ll-'oearers {'discarded: their .;'. solemn:. robes and Resumed their : ordinary, avocation. ,i : ;: Although;^ 'Something like .twa years has elapsed sincc. tho death of the distinguished , scientist, the late ;Sir . James "Hec- ■■ tor, tho-matter of perpetuating'his memory ihas; only no\v 1 begunv to.''assume - something of a definite-. and. tangible • nature.; At tho annual 'meeting of ; tho - : Ne\v ; Zealand* ' lasts-'-, tuto: yesterday, the - council "adjourned for; si: ; conference, in ..tfominittee, with Dr. J. M., Mason (Head of.the Health Department), at whose 'suggestion thij'movement for . a Hector' Memorial; Fund .was initiated. Subscriptions ; to. the: fund were coming slowly, and it waß' suggested that, socio vitality might : be imparted to. the iimovemeni, were ;the public more'fully; informed as to tho form tho proposed memorial would take. - It was generally. agreedratybe;- conference yesterday that ' the main' object or tho fund would be to . provide for .an annual Hector'.Memorial Priza; for ; original rescarcli' in any ; natural. - or physical science, iandjrshouldv the fund; sufficiently augmented to allow of it, a;me>. morial medal, to be awarded .'witli. the prize,-; might also be'given'; a bust :of the-deceased" scientist' 'to be executed at Home, is also contemplated. It; was. decided that a joint circular inviting,*subscriptions, and- setting ' forth tho .objects and. nature 'of tho fund, should be issued. I • . ....

That there. is : room' for improvement with respect : to the.' ventilation', of the Supreme: Court has been apparent during' the current sittings of the -Court- 'iri ■ its: criminal, jurisdiction. redirection ofVMr.'Justice.Cooper all the doors'. andf. ivindows»were. keptU.opencd yesterday, hut notwithstanding these. precau-. tions ,the atmosphere wifchiu the Court was . in the. extreme. Ih this regard it might be pointecbout that it is impossible to aspect, the best' the doorways and passage-, ways, are permitted ,to_ Wedlocked by jurors, police -officials, arid; visitots'alniost- contmui ously. Several tiroes, yesterday, 1 : when- it .was found that ■ the, services l of' : waiting■' ; jurora would not bo required for even a brief period) his.; Honour .very thoughtfully advised them ,to' spend the interval out of'doors. The jury whichwas empanelled. .in ■; connection r-.with tHe Searl : case- must have had anything but a pleasant - time, -' After'the'-ihearing of the case; 'which; occupied"-,four hours, • they were' engaged ; ,fot three .additional, hours in their 'deliberations.' . >TJpon: discharging; them;'- 'hia Honour remarkedWe all recognise that you have : been .performing a public duty. If you :have been; inconvenienced i-b.v the stuffiness of the room which ye'u "have. beensitting, I shall 'see if: means caa be adopted to -make it..more,.'comfortablß; ! '.- ! I n . re p]y -. the foreman; said the: room, \vasV.cert"aihl.y a very-, small . one,; but -the .fact : .ihat :it''i)ad been an exceptionally hot day. .had to be taiken into consideration. / ... .' V ..,